RJ to begin operating flights to Najaf Monday

AMMAN — Royal Jordanian (RJ) said Sunday it will operate its first flight to Najaf on Monday, launching a new regular service between Jordan and Iraq.

With this addition to the RJ network, the number of Iraqi destinations increases to six, including Mosul, which has been suspended since June 2014. 

Moreover, the number of flights between Jordan and Iraq rose to 31 weekly, including 12 weekly flights to Baghdad, nine to Erbil and four weekly flights to Basra and Sulaymaniyah, in addition to the two halted flights to Mosul, the airline said in a statement. 

RJ will operate two weekly flights to Najaf, on Mondays and Thursdays. 

On Mondays the flight takes off from its base at Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), Amman, at 11am and reaches Najaf at 12:35 noon. The return flight departs from there at 1:20pm and lands in Amman at 3:05pm. 

On Thursdays, RJ operates its flights from Amman at 2:10am and reaches Najaf at 3:45am, whereas it takes off from Najaf at 5:25am and arrives in Amman at 7:15am. 

Adding Najaf to the RJ routes comes in line with the airline’s strategy to enter new markets in the Arab region. RJ also plans to operate a new service to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia besides Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Medina. 

“Adding new routes to the network will increase travel and enhance commercial, social and cultural ties,” the national carrier said.

The service between Najaf and Amman will serve Iraqi passengers transiting though QAIA on their way to destinations beyond Amman, particularly serving pilgrims in the Hajj and umra, the greater and lesser Muslim pilgrimages to Mecca.